7 Ups & 2 Downs From AEW Dynamite (July 12 - Review)
Ups…
7. Chris Jericho Vs Kommander
Chris Jericho Vs Kommander made for a bizarre match graphic but if it was going to be chaotic one way or the other, it had to veer on the side of great in order to validate the vile Don Callis' pitch for Jericho to join his Family.
In the end, it scanned as a good bit of business made better by the post-match.
Playing full heel after teasing a turn last week, Jericho bossed Kommander through the action, forcing the aerialist into taking risks to pull off his jaw-dropping feats of athleticism. This made them matter more too - a tremendous near fall was extracted from a ropewalk springboard shooting star press, but the only one that truly registered was the actual one; Jericho locking in the Liontamer got him a quick tap win so the show could get back to his big decision.
It wasn't made here, but Callis is certainly laying it on nice and thick. Showing footage of them as a team in 1995 alongside Bad News Allen was on-brand carny pandering but it might be working. Jake Hager as the Beefcake to Jericho's Hogan tried to get inside 'The Ocho's head later in the show but he wasn't giving the game away.
Perhaps, now he's not the fifth man for the Blackpool Combat Club, that will take place at Blood & Guts.